{"id":204388,"date":"2025-04-23T04:50:15","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T18:50:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=852979"},"modified":"2025-04-23T04:50:15","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T18:50:15","slug":"planetary-alignment-provides-nasa-rare-opportunity-to-study-uranus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=204388","title":{"rendered":"Planetary Alignment Provides NASA Rare Opportunity to Study Uranus"},"content":{"rendered":"
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5 Min Read<\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPlanetary Alignment Provides NASA Rare Opportunity to Study Uranus\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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\"A<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Artist's illustration showing a distant star going out of sight as it is eclipsed by Uranus \u2013 an event known as a planetary stellar occultation. <\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCredits: <\/span>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNASA\/Advanced Concepts Laboratory<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

When a planet\u2019s orbit brings it between Earth and a distant star, it\u2019s more than just a cosmic game of hide and seek. It\u2019s an opportunity for NASA to improve its understanding of that planet\u2019s atmosphere and rings. Planetary scientists call it a stellar occultation and that\u2019s exactly what happened with Uranus on April 7.<\/p>\n

Observing the alignment allows NASA scientists to measure the temperatures and composition of Uranus\u2019 stratosphere \u2013 the middle layer of a planet\u2019s atmosphere \u2013 and determine how it has changed over the last 30 years since Uranus\u2019 last significant occultation.<\/p>\n

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